Scandals, Oh My! (Alisa)

[Akira Nakajima]

Akira had been pretty active as of late. Fighting by himself, fighting with others, fighting the mobs, fighting the boss, it was a decent bit of experience. Frankly, the boy had to wonder if he had gotten any stronger since he started. He knew he had access to new abilities, but that didn't mean much. Some games allowed one to learn skills off of equipment, and that didn't necessarily make one more powerful. That said, he wanted to try out and test his skills in private. The terminal was a pretty calm place compared to the areas beyond. It was safest to test himself there. Plus, he had a good example to run off of, so there was that, right?

The majority of human beings focused only on themselves. The small fraction outside of that cared about themselves and those close to them- friends, family. The remainder of humans after excluding those parties were either those with unique occupations or far too much time on their hands. For that reason, the boy in drag did not worry too much about slipping into the terminal. All he had to do was act casual, and nobody noticed. A turn, kneel, and shift, and he was past the tape that “blocked” the terminal off. And just like that, the crossdresser made his way down the steps as if the terminal was just his home, or he were going shopping.

After the battle with the train, he actually felt fairly comfortable wearing normal clothes- you know, not a pair of jogging pants. He hated workout clothes for anything other than working out. Just felt wrong. And nasty. And looked wrong, anyway. Of course, wearing the same old outfit every day was a bit bothersome. Well, not bothersome, but it became redundant. As the boy pushed his glasses up, he straightened his unnecessary sunhat. Actually, the fact that he wore a sundress (with a pretty floral design and a fondness of the color yellow) despite the weather was pretty ridiculous. Granted, it wasn't terribly cold during the day, but still. Of course, a simple sundress would have limited mobility. Towards the bottom, it turned into a pleated skirt, allowing for freedom of leg movement. Reaching far up into the forbidden territory within the dress was a pair of thigh-high socks. They were pretty warm. Of course, his arms needed to be protected, as well. A simple, pink, short-cut jacket reaching halfway down his back took care of that. It was more a case of attachable sleeves, than anything, but it did get the job done.

The boy had to wonder, though. How long would he have to look to find something of interest within the terminal?

[Ayakura Alisa]

Hiroshige Terminal... They put this out of commission for some reason. It's a restricted area now. I remember my parents used to talk about this place a lot. Thought it smelled fishy, especially since they thought they saw things there. I would pass by this place a lot for some reason, I think I was secretly drawn to it.

I had already made my rounds at a cafe near the area, and I had been rather aimless in my agenda for the day. The people bustling around the area didn't seem certainly concerned with this conspicuously cordoned off terminal, but the job of cordoning this place off wasn't actually too great, and if anyone deemed it necessary to, they could easily just slip in... I was beyond that of course, since I lacked the information to decide whether going in alone was even a good idea...

I was lost in my thoughts for a moment until I saw a young girl wearing clothes far too casual for such an endeavour manage to slip almost (I say almost, because I'm fairly sure I saw her, but I was actually paying attention!) unnoticed through the police tape and into the terminal. Wait, a young girl diving headfirst into the terminal that was quite "clearly" cordoned off and deemed a "restricted area?" That's certainly curious. I needed to get into the bottom of this immediately and see what was up. If a young girl in her late teens was confident enough to "break the rules," then there surely must be something of interest there.

I hadn't gathered quite enough information about this either, so if I could get a hold of her, that would be splendid and could lead to more on the case regarding mother and father. They DID talk about this place a lot, too. I wore the same outfit almost every day, which made my getup rather distinct, but I didn't give a rat's ass. As long as I got the bills paid. In which case, I needed to stop dilly-dallying. I made sure that the people were more concentrated in getting from point A to point B instead of paying any sort of attention to the terminal, before I quickly followed the girl into the stairwell down to the terminal proper, of course, by slipping in between the gaps. Jumping over there, while something I could do perfectly fine, would strike some as a bit... noticeable.

Just like that I had broken into the "restricted area" and ran my way down the stairs, in hot pursuit of this girl.

[Akira Nakajima]

He stretched. Stretching was good. Got him all limber and ready to go. Akira had been carefully proceeding for a little bit. No signs of anything. It was confusing to him. After all, not encountering anything was good. Heck, it meant their numbers might have actually been dropping. Despite that, he almost felt. . . disappointed? Was the desire to test himself really that strong? Or was he simply bored? Could've gone either way, really. Either way, he removed the sunhat and shook his head a little forcefully, causing those black locks to shoot about. Untamed, the hair flew freely. It was the slight charm of being natural, he believed. It was why he typically never did anything special to his hair as a girl.

Then something hit his ears. Drifting. Shifting. Something was moving. Had been moving. He stood still and focused his ears. Had it come from behind? Or ahead? Giving it another second, it did appear that something was approaching from ahead. It sounded different than the initial sound, however. The boy proceeded slowly. No need to drop his guard yet, even if he believed he tamed the terminal fairly well by that point. Carelessness felled even the mightiest of warriors. It was why RPGs often had underdogs as the protagonists. And why they typically won, at that. Carefully, he planted his sunhat back upon his head. His steps were light, but appeared casual enough.

Finally, the sound became clearer. It was icky. Slimy-sounding. Like the typical blobs he encountered when wandering the terminal. That was all well and good, but he still didn't see it. Not until it shot from behind a support pillar, practically flying at his face. See, as much as Akira could appreciate semi-liquid substances flying at a person's face, this was hardly of the safe variety. Reacting out of reflex, he sent his fist upwards, effectively uppercutting the Shadow and knocking it further into the air. Then, with a whirl, he sent his knee into the then-falling Shadow, sending it flying a few feet outwards- almost entirely into the shadows again. He knew he hadn't been training that much more than usual, but it seemed like the opponent was lighter then he was used to. Was that the power of his Persona?

Taking a moment to relax and clench his hand, he left out a contemplative hum before staring into the darkness. Was it dead? Or was it recovering? He couldn't tell, and it was a risk to proceed further. With things calming down, though, he was sure he heard something from behind him earlier. Finally, he turned around. The boy in drag stared intensely into the darkness of the terminal. Was something there? . . . or was it somebody?

[Ayakura Alisa]

I continued to make my way down the terminal, sure of the fact someone was also here. However, it was also really dark. I'm glad I have decent eyesight in the dark; that could be a killer in a situation like this where there could actually BE a legit reason for a military or police cordon such as this. Even so, there was a certain thrill I felt upon stalking a mark, it was something I hadn't done in literally years, mother Anna would make me do this when I was but a mere child, for children would not be so suspected to be stalkers or even assassins as I felt with my trusty knife in my left hand, now drawn out. After some time though, I heard sounds. Sounds of battle, it appeared. My hearing hadn't given out of course, exposure to training had given me a slight edge on that department. Though I wasn't certain of it, it appeared that someone or something gave another entity the fisticuffs treatment.

Smack, whoosh, smack!

There it went. Something was probably sent careening into a given direction I wasn't sure of, naturally, being a ways away from the commotion. Soon, I could hear humming sounds. I continued to make my way towards the source of the sound, and with my faux-night vision, I swore I could very well see the girl I was tailing.

"...You there!" I decided to do something I might end up regretting, and called the attention of the girl in the pink jacket. Yes, that pink jacket makes you stick out in the darkness like a sore thumb, girl, unlike my dark clothes. "What are you doing here?"

[Akira Nakajima]

Sure enough, someone was there. Certainly, Akira could not see her very well at all. Though, even with her an outline at best, he could still tell where she was. That was enough to go off of, should the situation have gotten nasty. The woman's question was amusing. It was also something ironic. Even if he were to play the innocent act, it really brought up a singular question that allowed him to turn it all right back around. At first, he smiled. Then he shook his head. Finally, he sighed. Again, he smiled. It was almost patronizing, though. It was the kind of smile a parent gave a child that had just made a very silly mistake.

”That's a fine question, Miss, but I could ask the same of you. It's like an introduction. If you wish to know my reason, shouldn't you first present your own?” With a slight tilt of his head to his left, his smile became playful. Why not? So long as there was distance, he could react however was necessary. He only needed a second to get his evoker and call out Imp. Vocalized orders weren't even necessary- they were just a more human touch. So that really lessened his fears. What was somewhat fearsome, though, was the thought that she followed him down there. Unless it was a police officer. Then that was okay. They were just trying to do their job, and all, bothersome as the situation was.

”Though, you sound older than me.” He nodded slowly. ”So I suppose I'll be respectful and answer you anyway. I'm exploring. And training.” Another nod, followed by a playful wink. ”How about yourself, ma'am?”

[Ayakura Alisa]

Exploring and training, huh... This kid sure had balls, I suppose. Running alone down here thinking she could do all sorts of hot stuff... Eh, that's none of my concern though, what the woman does down here is none of my business, though that mention of 'training' did intrigue me a little. So what I want to know is... "Me? Looking for answers. There's a reason why this place is cordoned off... I'm sure you're familiar, or perhaps, I'm sure you know more than I do about this matter, or you would not have run down here alone..." I ended up sounding more coy than I would have liked, but oh well. Shit happens. "I wouldn't have come down alone here without a lead, y'know? You just happened to be a tad excitable, and I guess you thought no one saw you, huh? I was just taking a bit of an opportunity to see what was up, you know? It's not every day you see a young lady gallivanting through an old subway looking for a romp in the shadows."

Yeah, gotta stay cool. Wouldn't want to do anything I'd end up regretting... I think. Grr. I'm on a hot trail already! Come on, spill the beans. Maybe I can find out even more! Yeah, that sounds pretty good. This is the motherlode! Right here.

[Akira Nakajima]

So the woman was looking for answers, and, in the end, it did seem that this strange woman followed her. Wow~! How creepy. Scandalous, even. Despite that, Akira let out a girlish giggle. His eyes half-closed. His right arm crossed his stomach. Then he half-turned. Noises again. It wasn't dead. His smile didn't fade, though. The boy in drag just slowly shook his head, smile growing. It was impish in nature. He was amused. An adult came to meet him because she was curious? That was silly. Then he laughed a little.

”Following a young lady into a dark, abandoned location to ask her questions. That's pretty scandalous!” He laughed before standing straight. She'd have her answer pretty soon, it seemed. ”Y'know, when a person is shown something forbidden, they typically desire it. That's human nature. Isn't it natural to seek out that which is blocked by someone over you? Don't answer. It's rhetorical. You followed me by example down here. That's a tad bit silly. And sad, too. If you really wanted answers about something- if you were really a truth-seeker- you would have come down here on your own. Buuuuuut~ that's a subject for another time. Besides, if you came seeking answers, this place isn't for you.” He knew it was no different than the example he had just given- telling someone no just provoked them.

”But you want an answer? I'll give you one. Right-a-bout-now~” And with that, the boy whirled, slamming his foot into the Shadow that had, again, attempted to attack him. Of course, he launched the blob of darkness right towards the woman. It fell short, of course, but it still went a good ways. More than a kick from a human that size should haze, judging by the resounding Plonk! the mass gave. It was a Maya- small blob with arms and a mask. Gradually, it dissolved to nothing. Akira was fairly familiar with them. Intimate, even, by that point. But this woman who apparently lacked information? This would give her more knowledge than she likely needed.

”This is the primary reason this area is blocked off from public traveling. Still curious, Miss, or do you think you want to head back topside?” His smile returned, impish as ever. He leaned forward, as if to punctuate his question, with his hands on his hips. Normally, he maintained a cute, spirited persona for his crossdressing. This woman amused him. Irked him, too. That, and he was probably right in assuming that more confrontational approach would be better for her. Just a hunch. Might've even been wrong.

[Ayakura Alisa]

I couldn't help but idly hold my knife underside, so it would be impossible for the girl to know I was armed. But that didn't matter - she clearly knew what she was doing here, as I saw her effortlessly kick some... Slime... Thing, right to my feet, where it promptly dissolved and expired. Well, she has some tooth to her bite. Feisty. Better watch out. But her 'tude annoys me. I recognize strength when I see it... But this doesn't give me anything substantial at all, and as I hate to admit it, this girl was right - staying in this part of the proverbial woods isn't bound to give me any answers. The solution was to go further, of course. I knew the line of thinking of characters like her - I've seen some shady folks too. These slime... shadow... things, they might be responsible for the disappearance of my parents. It would be stupid for me to ignore this opportunity to get more dirt. This was no radiation leak at all, this was... something entirely different, otherworldly, even. No amount of radiation should spawn something that... bizarre.

"Don't be coy, young woman... The only solution is to go deeper," I retorted back, exposing my knife with a shine, though I took care not to make it look like I was being particularly threatening. "Besides, you... definitely are stronger than you look. Much stronger than I am, at any rate. It would do me no good just to run with my tail between my legs when I have such a juicy opportunity staring at me in the face, wouldn't you think~?"

Uh oh. I think I went a bit too far.

[Akira Nakajima]

Akira had. . . certainly gotten stronger. That much was certain. It wasn't even necessary physically. Was his natural power amplified by having a Persona, then? It made sense. If he kept it up, he'd be able to reach new heights, it seemed. That was fun. He was living an RPG. Probably no H-scenes, though. In regards to the woman before him, there was a glistening blade. He felt less concerned about her potential threat factor by the second. Provoked like a child and thinking a knife would be a solid weapon on its own? Yeah. She was normal. As in, she was a normal human being. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but it did, in fact, enforce his belief that that place was simply not for her.

Yet the child in the form of a woman thought it was better to go deeper.

Seriously. What had he gotten himself into? As the Student Council President, he needed to know how to manage people. And he did. Being playful was out of character for him- at least openly. Slowly, he shook his head. Not in rejection, but as if physically commenting on the situation. Then, with an exaggerated shrug, he straightened his posture. He felt more like he was among his own than an adult. Flashing a weapon as a means of defense- as a justification for facing danger- was silly. If that thing left her hand, how good was she? Akira relied on his body to get him through danger. His body and his Persona. And, even then, he wasn't one to press on carelessly. He stared her down. Then he huffed slightly.

”Juicy opportunity sounds really misleading here. You're looking for information, right? Wah~ that's creepy. More seriously, this really isn't a place for you if you think that'll help you. But ignore me. I can tell that won't get too far in this situation. If you're so curious, follow me. But you may want to head upstairs. Tail between your legs or not, you'll at least live.” It would probably only work to urge her on. Yet he said it anyway. He was a terrible person. With a sigh and shrug, he turned on his heel, carrying on into the darkness. He showed his back to her without a second thought. He knew she was there. If she suddenly charged, the evoker could be put to use.

Regardless, her presence would slow him down. He not only had to make use of this trip, but he'd have to watch over someone without a Persona. He was used to pressure- he handled the events that determined a student's happy school year. Yeah, that's some pretty serious shit there, but this was a human life.

. . . seriously, what the hell did he get himself into?

[Ayakura Alisa]

I had resisted the urge to snarl at this kid at this rate. You know, Snarky McBitchpants, if you're so concerned about my safety, you could just freaking tell me what the deal is instead of expecting bizarre-ass creatures to tell me anything substantial aside from the fact you're more than capable enough to eliminate them. She already left and went on ahead. You know, I hate people like that. Think they're such hot shit because of stuff like that? Yeah, give me a break. I turned back for a moment looking at the stairs that led back outside to the light. Yeah. Give me a break, alright. This is unbelievable. There are better ways to handle a situation like that than be a mischievous little brat just because you can show up someone several years your senior. I may be the figurative weakling here, but you're just a tool. Introspective musing and silent seething aside, I already made clear my intentions to go forward. I'm just going to have to suck it up and eat my words if I do end up making a fatal mistake. After all, I have no choice. If I don't ever find out the truth behind their disappearance, no one will. There will be no closure. I will be tormented forever.

It's got to start somewhere.

So, foolishly or not, I decided I'd follow the girl.

...Even though I was beginning to hate her guts by the second. Infuriating teens like her need to know their goddamn place. You're not going to get in my way with a holier-than-thou attitude like that, honey.

[Akira Nakajima]

Time passed. The woman did not fade away. Well, better that she followed him once they got past a certain point than head back on her own. Still, something was off. He could hear the Shadows every now and then, but it was like they were getting away from him. Was that why he seemed to have problems finding them? Were they specifically avoiding him? In a way, that was an answer regarding his strength, in and of itself. Well, that was one issue solved. The other was trailing behind him. Judging by the silence, likely annoyed. If they continued much further, they'd be at---

. . . well, not too much longer. The open sky was just a little further on. Akira propped himself up against one of the walls. He didn't want to see the purple sky again- not yet. Not until he was prepared to head into another location seriously. He crossed his arms and gestured, with his neck, towards the opening path. His expression was much more subdued. After all, the disgusting truth was before them. The real “circle” around them was there. And he sighed. This was the woman's last chance. He himself didn't mind too much, knowing about the truth. It was basically the need to go on and take responsibility for the knowledge. Not a big deal. He was responsible for others as it was. Others? If they had the chance to back down, it was best that it was made obvious to them.

”If you want your answers, keep moving ahead and look up. The truth behind our so-called quarantine is right there. I don't recommend it, though. It's your last chance to head back and act like everything is still fine-and-dandy. Or as much as it will be.” His tone carried a note of concern, but the woman did go on. ”There is no radiation leak. Despite the color, the air is breathable. I mean, a radiation leak wouldn't kill a fiber connection outside of the city- not every single connection, at least. We're cut off entirely, outside of some things coming in.” He stretched, then stood up, turning to watch her- to watch her surroundings. He was still responsible for her.

”'grats. Now you're almost in as much of the know as me. There's a certain blonde around here that can fill you in with more info, but that's about it. I'll get you there, if you want it. I'll take responsibility that far, at least. Seems like the majority of the Shadows around are too afraid of me to approach anymore. Killed too many, probably.” He avoided mentioning strength at that point. Egging her on accomplished nothing at that point. ”Shadows are like the thing I kicked your way. 'cept, they've got different shapes, different abilities, and all of them are dangerous. They're weaker here in the tunnel, but further on? Things are nastier. All you've got is that knife, right? Knives will barely scratch some of these things.” He shook his head.

”Hell. Knives probably won't even affect some of them.” He didn't explain why it was safe for him to be there, though. He knew she'd probably just ask, but it was the least of a resistance he could put up. At that point, he just kept his arms crossed and stared. He'd probably regret this whole deal later.

[Ayakura Alisa]

I had to take some time to take in what the hell I just saw. Well, I knew that the mention of a radiation leak was weird, I mean, my parents wouldn't stop talking about why it was impossible for a radiation leak to occur. Maybe they also went all the way out here. Meanwhile, I couldn't help but notice that the girl wasn't as bitchy as she was earlier. Maybe something about knowing what was actually out there caused her to subdue herself slightly. I don't really know. Or, maybe, knowing how strong she was, she wouldn't know what to do if something happened to me. Then again, her explanation of what I just saw made surprising amounts of sense. Yes, this place looked wrecked to all hell - a veritable wasteland, if you will. The sky was unnatural, yet I could breathe in the air. This was no radiation leak at all, it was... some bizarre phenomenon. Could it be something of the occult? I would have to investigate. It would also make more sense that this sort of environment is what caused some connections to the outside to suddenly get cut off, which made outside contact almost impossible. There wasn't anything to contact.

Then there's the matter of those strange creatures... The girl, she called them "Shadows." Well, fitting, because they literally looked like solidified shadows. She mentioned that the knife I had would probably be ineffectual. At least she wasn't a condescending prick about it this time. Perhaps she sensed how much my blood boiled at her attitude earlier, or there was something else. Well, points to her for calming down and being more reasonable about it. That still left one question unanswered - how was this girl able to effortlessly handle these "Shadows" then? She must have had a power or ability that normal people such as myself do not. She mentioned having killed many of them... She must have been doing this for a while now. I personally wasn't terribly interested in hearing it from her, what I was more interested in was if there were others like this individual.

"This must be what my parents saw," I idly said out loud. "They're normal people quite unlike yourself, so I don't know if it's worth thinking if they're still out there... But you know, I just wanted to find out for myself." I had calmed down now, having gained what I wanted out of this exchange. I didn't feel like murdering another human being anymore. "...I apologize for having bothered you. I was selfish and childish to tail you... I knew that, in my weakness, I had no choice but to rely on the strong. And you have confirmed it as such... I could handle another human being, but... These 'Shadow' things... You're probably right. This dinky knife would probably be useless."

I sighed.

"But you know, you sometimes turn desperate when you want to learn about something very important and close to you. I don't know if you've ever experienced what it's like when someone you cared about broke a very big promise to you, and promptly disappeared from the world without any message. That's why I risked my own life to come out here. If possible, it would be nice if I could talk to that 'blonde' you mentioned. You won't need to give a damn about me anymore once that's done. No bother."

She was kind enough to take me all the way out here, after all. I reckon she meant to take me here from the start. I suppose it was fortunate the 'Shadows' were too weak for her to consider approaching her. Dodged a bullet there. All I can do is to just be grateful.

[Akira Nakajima]

Seemed she calmed down. Looking for parents was all well and good, but did that really justify risking your life over? What if they were fine? What if they did return? Did this woman consider that? Whatever the case, he closed his eyes. It seemed he dug a hole. Then again, going by her words, it would have led up to this or them fighting. Whatever the case it seemed he had a couple of things to say, still. After that, he'd leave it alone until they were good, done, and parting. He sighed. There was always a chance of them meeting when he wasn't in drag, but he was probably safe, either way.

”I didn't want to bring you here purely because another person in the know means another person that's gonna go off on their own trying to do things. It'd be different if you were already in the know, but a little lost- you'd've been down the rabbit hole already- but you're fresh. You were free. Kinda wanted to preserve that. I guess I'll apologize for egging you on- kinda odd that someone stalks you, after all. But I didn't imagine an adult would buy into teasing like that. I think you would've tried to follow me, anyway, but I suppose it should at least be said.” He sighed, right arm gripping his left as his gaze drifted down. He almost looked remorseful- though whether it was a play to smooth some feathers over or genuine was entirely up to interpretation.

”Regardless, I'll say this, then guide you. I will guide you there. Then I'll guide you back upstairs. What you do then is up to you. But, in the future, try to think of your parents. You're looking for them, right?” It really wasn't hard to guess, going by her words. ”If you have any hope they're alive, don't act stupid. If something is dangerous, back the hell out. It'll do a damn lotta good to go looking for them, getting killed, then leaving your home empty for them to return to. If you think there's a chance of finding them, stay the hell alive.” Of course, logically, if her parents were normal humans and went into the outer areas, they were likely dead. Deader than doornails. Murphy's Law was a bitch. And, often enough? So was life.

But if it saved her from that eager nature of hers, hey, he'd say what he could.

”Lets go, then. Get this taken care of.” He noted calmly before turning on his heel and starting in the other direction. It was near enough. It was getting her back to the entrance that was worrisome. Could go either way, if the Shadows decided they had balls again. He'd help her along and then go the hell home, most likely.

[Ayakura Alisa]

I started to follow the girl after she said her piece. Well, I guess I did buy into it. It's been a problem of mine, after all. "Eh." I said as we continued to make our way to the next destination. "I have issues. Pretty big issues. S'none of your concern." Only a child immersed in the world of fantasy would even bother to spout ideals like that. It's one thing to hold them, but it's another to preach them to someone who is clearly older than you. Oh well. I can't stay mad at that for too much longer. I just wanted to hear the piece and then leave. It would be better that way. It's not too safe for me to stay here for much longer, after all. I'm not strong enough.

...Not strong...

That's depressing.

I wonder what it really takes...

...No choice but to keep on moving along, then.